1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle covers, and in particular to a retractable vehicle cover.
2. Background of the Invention
In many countries, the automobile has become the most common method of transportation. Most automobiles are manufactured primarily of metal, and the metal is painted to protect it from oxidation and other influences detrimental to the finish. Automobile surface finish degradation may be caused by sun rays, bird droppings, tree sap and pollens, snow and ice, frost, etc.
One way to prevent damage to the surface finish of an automobile is to store the car in a garage when it is not being used. Unfortunately, there are many more cars than garages, so this solution leaves many cars "out in the cold".
Another way to help preserve the finish on an automobile or other vehicle is to cover the vehicle with a vehicle cover when it is not in use. Such vehicle covers are generally made of a fabric or textile such as canvas. The vehicle cover may be stored in a convenient place such as the car trunk, then taken out and unfolded, and then installed on the vehicle. When the vehicle must be used, the cover is removed, allowed to dry (if necessary), folded up, and stored. One problem associated with this design is inconvenience: it takes time to fold and unfold, and store, the vehicle cover.
One variant on the vehicle cover solution is the self-storing vehicle cover. This type of cover is typically provided in a container which may be used to store the cover. When the cover is to be used, the cover is removed from the container, and when the cover is to be stored, it is returned to the container. A number of self-storing vehicle covers have been patented, but they all suffer from various problems.